According to some estimates, in a typical year, approximately 3.6 billion people across the globe travel on commercial airlines. The industry is supported by over 17,000 commercial airports and millions of workers.
In 2020, commercial airline travel plummeted during the first part of the year as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the world and temporarily collapsed demand for business and leisure travel. As this critical industry recovers, already existing fears among some travelers and workers about indoor environmental quality (IEQ) issues and the potential spread of airborne and surface germs have become a significant issue. Indeed, the person-to-person spread of infectious diseases through respiratory droplets in the air or from touching contaminated surfaces or objects are two of the primary ways germs are spread in an airplane, airport or any built environment.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) reports that some of the ways communicable diseases can be spread on a plane include:
- Direct contact with a sick person
- Breathing in airborne viruses and bacteria
- Contact with blood and other body fluids
- Contact with a contaminated surface or object
“Cabin air hazards are also addressed by NIOSH,” said Zahid Iqbal, MPH, CIH and Technical Director at Clark Seif Clark (CSC). “Ventilation hazards, including carbon monoxide, ozone and carbon dioxide levels; transmission of communicable diseases from sick passengers; cabin altitude and pressurization changes; and air contamination events when cabin air becomes contaminated with breakdown products from heated engine oil or hydraulic fluid are all issues listed by the agency. As airports and airlines gradually add flights to handle demand as the industry recovers, addressing infection control and IEQ issues are key components for success.”
Helping airlines, airports and other forms of mass transportation handle these challenges are the industrial hygiene and indoor environmental quality professionals at Clark Seif Clark. CSC’s experts provide personal protective equipment training, emergency response planning, 3rd party verification of cleaning and disinfection protocols, environmental testing and more. They have also sponsored an educational video about IEQ and preventing the spread of germs on airplanes that can be seen at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnSY74Tyca8&feature=youtu.be
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